I am writing in response to the email by Mr Aggarwal see link http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/message/2633 as well as writing on some other related issues.
we need highways for growth, no one disputes that. But that does not mean that you go and destroy every living tree in sight without consulting anyone, without being transparent about it and being open to questioning. there are alternative ways of dealing with such a situation: how is it that this has been done in such haste without any discussion? what triggered this destruction and what alternatives were considered? and the point made by another discussant is absolutely right: that people raise hot politcal issues and forget to look at the gorund beneath their feet? what has AASU opr any student's organization or the media or any rights organization of even militant groups done about this? precisely nothing. of course all of us are to blame: but what are we doing about it? can we do something about it? within mylimitations, I would like to run reports and a debate on this in the NE Page of the Statesman (Mondays, www.thestatesman.net) which I run. and expand the debate to involve other media. all must play a part in making this a public issue and not stop by participating in this discussion, either positively or otherwise. all of us can do something individually: btu we can also do something together. simple things: write to all papers (letters/articles) -- make a noise -- policy makers are very sensitive to this; use the Right to Information to find out how this was authorized, file a PIL to check further wanton felling (this is bypassing the Supreme Court verdict of 1996). regards. Sanjoy Hazarika --------------------------------- moderator edited, assamonline
